Family of UK subway shooting victim call for public inquiry, murder charges

[JURIST] The family of Brazilian citizen Jean Charles de Menezes, mistakenly killed by police [JURIST report] who thought they were pursuing a July 21 London bombing [JURIST report] suspect, called Wednesday for a public investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The family also wants the shooters charged with murder [ITV report] and have called for the resignation [ITV report] of London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair [official profile]. The remarks come after documents were leaked to ITV that seem to contradict earlier accounts of the shooting. The papers, reportedly from the Independent Police Complaints Commission [official website] inquiry into the tragedy, suggest de Menezes was walking while in the station, only running when he saw a train approaching, and was seated on the subway when he was shot by an officer at point-blank range. Both Scotland Yard and the Home Office have declined comment pending an official report. BBC News has more.

About Paper Chase

Paper Chase is JURIST's real-time legal news service, powered by a team of 30 law student reporters and editors led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. As an educational service, Paper Chase is dedicated to presenting important legal news and materials rapidly, objectively and intelligibly in an accessible format.